Sir Alex Ferguson threatened 'to kill' England boss over Wayne Rooney selection

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has admitted that former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson threatened to 'kill him' if he named Wayne Rooney in his squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Rooney had enjoyed a highly successful 2005/06 campaign for United, scoring 19 goals and claiming ten assists, but suffered a Metatarsal Fracture at the end of April during a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

That meant that the United striker faced a race against time to recover in time for the World Cup starting in June.

The injury, however, stemmed from him sporting a set of longer than usual studs on his boots, which he wore, as later revealed by Rooney himself, in an attempt to "hurt someone."

Although Rooney has since blamed himself for the injury, it prompted Ferguson to reach out to Eriksson and plead with him not to name the striker in the squad for what would have been his first World Cup experience.

However, the Swede ignored Ferguson's pleas, naming Rooney in the squad.

Eriksson said: "Sir Alex didn't want Rooney to go. He told me very, very straight 'you don't take him, that's it Sven. I'm going to kill you ... verbally!'

"And I said 'Alex, go on holiday. I'm going to take Rooney and we're going to the World Cup. Sorry'. And that was it."

Rooney, who was famously sent-off during the Three Lions' quarter-final defeat to Portugal at the tournament, made four appearances in Germany and did not suffer any reaction to his earlier injury problem.

On the injury, Rooney said: "I blame myself for that injury. I think if you look at it back by front studs have got caught in the ground, and my foot has bent forward. I broke three metatarsals."

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